1. Early life

2. Career

3. Death and legacy

4. Notes

5. References
    Citations  Bibliography 

Fira Benenson (14 April 1898-23 October 1977) was a Russian-born American fashion designer and dressmaker. After growing up in Baku and Saint Petersburg, her family left Russia at the end of World War I and relocated in London. Benenson grew up between London, Paris and New York City, immigrating to Manhattan in the late 1920s. Opening a dress shop, she gained a reputation as a designer and was hired by Bonwit Teller in 1934. When World War II prohibited participation in the Paris fashion industry, she and other American designers began creating their own fashion lines. Leaving Bonwit's in 1948, she operated her own company, designing into 1969 and inspiring a new generation of American designers.

Early life

Fira Benenson was born on 14 April 1898{{sfn|Social Security Death Index|1977}} in Baku, which at the time was located in the Russian Empire, as the middle daughter of Sophia Borisovna (née Goldberg, {{lang-ru|Софьей Борисовной Голдберг}}) and Grigory Benenson ({{lang-ru|Григорий Иосифович Бененсон}}), a Jewish financier and oil magnate.{{sfn|Fowle|1977}}{{sfn|Rolo|2004}}{{sfn|The Times|1939|p=1}} Her mother was born in Pinsk{{sfn|New York Passenger Lists|1921|p=82}} and her father was born in Minsk to a wealthy timber merchant and had begun his career managing his father's estates. In 1889, he moved with his wife and young son, Jacob (1885–?) to Baku, opening a rice processing plant, which was the first in the area and began exporting rice in the domestic market. Within a decade, he bought a kerosene plant and expanded his business interests into oil production.{{sfn|Enclyclopedia Our Baku|2011}} Grigory was one of the pioneer oil prospectors of the Baku fields and a chief stockholder in the Lena gold mining company,{{sfn|The Times|1984|p=10}} as well as a director of the Russian and English Bank Limited of Saint Petersburg.{{sfn|The Times|1911|p=25}}

Berenson was raised with her older sister Flora (1895–1984){{sfn|The Times|1984|p=10}} and younger sister Manya on the top floor of the home built by Pyotr Mikhailovich Volkonsky in Saint Petersburg and spent time on a country estate known as Redkino.{{sfn|Rolo|2004}} Her father then bought a home on Nevsky Prospect, from which he operated his businesses as well and eventually installed a cinema in 1912. The following year, the business was moved to Sadovaya Street, to the building which now houses the St. Petersburg currency exchange.{{sfn|Enclyclopedia Our Baku|2011}} In 1914, while visiting in Germany, the family decided to relocate to London{{sfn|Rolo|2004}} and moved there permanently in 1915.{{sfn|The Times|1984|p=10}} Grigory began investing in New York City in 1919, buying the City Investing Building.{{sfn|The New York Tribune|1919|p=1}} Berenson lived in Paris with her mother in the 1920s, but traveled often to New York.{{sfn|Guggenheim|1987|p=25}}{{sfn|New York Passenger Lists|1921|p=82}} After her mother's death on 27 April 1926, in Nice,{{sfn|The Times|1926|p=1}} Benenson moved permanently to Manhattan,{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}}{{#tag:ref|The Democrat and Chronicle states Benenson moved to the United States in 1921, but this seems unlikely.{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}} Per the Ellis Island Foundation, she made 14 trips between 1921 and 1931 from France to New York,{{sfn|New York Passenger Lists|1921|p=82}} and then did not travel again until 1936, as Fira Ilinska, which probably indicates she actually moved to New York in 1931.{{sfn|New York Passenger Lists|1936}} This is supported by Peggy Guggenheim's account of their friendship. When Guggenheim arrived in Paris (1920) she lived at the Hôtel de Crillon, where Benenson was also living.{{sfn|Guggenheim|1987|p=25}} Guggenheim also states that it was Benenson who helped her find a place to rent for the summer in London, when her first child was born (1923).{{sfn|Guggenheim|1987|pp=38–39}}|group="Notes"}} where on 19 March 1931, she married Janusz Ilinski, a Polish nobleman and soldier.{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}}

Career

When the family fortune took a downturn due to the Great Depression and the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Benenson opened a dress shop in New York City, gaining a reputation in the fashion industry.{{sfn|The Times|1984|p=10}}{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}} In 1934, she was hired by Bonwit Teller to manage their Couture Salon, traveling four times a year to the fashion markets in Paris.{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}} In 1940, with travel restrictions due to the war and the German invasion of France, Paris was closed off to the industry.{{sfn|Mulvagh|1988|p=126}} American designers began to create their own designs, and Benenson launched Fira Benenson Inc.{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}}{{sfn|Donovan|1960|p=21}} Her plan was not to create haute couture fashion, but rather simple, but elegant clothing in which women could walk and sit, while wearing throughout their normal daily routines.{{sfn|Fowle|1977}}{{sfn|Donovan|1960|p=21}} While other designers utilized padded shoulders, Benenson preferred natural lines and silhouettes that balanced a woman's figure.{{sfn|Donovan|1960|p=21}}{{sfn|Young|1941|p=18}}

In 1946, the Hoving Corporation made a bid to purchase Bonwit's,{{sfn|Luce|1948|p=94}} which resulted in Benenson's resignation by 1948 to open her own shop.{{sfn|Fowle|1977}}{{sfn|Luce|1948|p=182}} She had become one of the top fashion designers in the United States by 1950,{{sfn|Mulvagh|1988|p=183}} and counted among her clients, Princess Grace of Monaco{{sfn|Englund|1984|p=153}} and Pat Nixon.{{sfn|The Kansas City Times|1959|p=1}} Increasingly she designed clothes for women over forty, putting out two collections each year for the ready-to-wear market,{{sfn|Fowle|1977}}{{sfn|Donovan|1960|p=21}} while still keeping her styles though available in a range of sizes, with the feel of made to order garments.{{sfn|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957|p=74}} She continued designing through the end of the 1960s.{{sfn|The Morning Call|1969|p=90}}

Death and legacy

Benenson died at her home at 333 East 57th Street in Manhattan on 23 October 1977.{{sfn|Fowle|1977}} She was influential in giving a start to many young designers during her career, including George Halley{{sfn|Pauley|1967|p=13}} and Monte Streitfield.{{sfn|Geraghty|1963|p=182}} Her sister Flora was the mother of Peter Solomon Benenson, founder of Amnesty International{{sfn|O'Shaughnessy|2005}} and her sister Manya was the noted translator of Doctor Zhivago.{{sfn|Rolo|2004}}

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=Donovan|first1=Carrie|title=Fira Benenson Designs for Women over Forty|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16123559/arizona_daily_star/|accessdate=31 December 2017|agency=New York Times News Service|publisher=The Arizona Daily Star|date=11 October 1960|location=Tucson, Arizona|page=21|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite book|ref=harv|last1=Englund|first1=Steven|title=Grace of Monaco: An interpretive biography|date=1984|publisher=Doubleday|location=Garden City, New York|isbn=0-385-18812-9|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/stream/graceofmonacoint00engl#page/153/mode/1up/search/benenson}}
• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=Fowle|first1=Farnsworth|title=Fira Benenson, Fashion Designer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/24/archives/fira-benenson-fashion-designer.html?_r=0&mtrref=web.archive.org|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The New York Times|date=24 October 1977|location=New York City, New York|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230210814/http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/24/archives/fira-benenson-fashion-designer.html?_r=0&mtrref=web.archive.org|archivedate=30 December 2017}}
• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=Geraghty|first1=Kathryn|title=Baltimore Designer in New York|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16152483/the_baltimore_sun/|accessdate=31 December 2017|publisher=The Baltimore Sun|date=21 April 1963|location=Baltimore, Maryland|page=182|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite book|ref=harv|last1=Guggenheim|first1=Peggy|title=Out of this century: confessions of an art addict|date=1987|publisher=Universe Books|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-87663-511-7|edition=Paperback|url=https://archive.org/stream/outofthiscentury00gugg#page/25/mode/1up}}
• {{cite journal|ref=harv|editor1-last=Luce|editor1-first=Henry R.|title=Mr. Hoving of Fifth Avenue: The Ambitious Boss of Hoving Corp. Makes a Bid for Merchandising Empire|journal=Fortune|date=September 1948|volume=XXXVIII|issue=3|pages=94–95, 170–182|url=https://archive.org/stream/fortune38julluce#page/94/mode/1up|accessdate=31 December 2017|publisher=Time Inc.|location=Jersey City, New Jersey|issn=0015-8259}}
• {{cite book|ref=harv|last1=Mulvagh|first1=Jane|title=Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion|date=1988|publisher=Viking|location=London, England|isbn=0-670-80172-0|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/stream/voguehistoryof2000mulv#page/126/mode/1up}}
• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=O'Shaughnessy|first1=Hugh|title=Peter Benenson, Founder of Amnesty International| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-benenson-13233.html|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The Independent|date=28 February 2005|location=London, England|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625185532/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-benenson-13233.html|archivedate=25 June 2017}}
• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=Pauley|first1=Gay|title=Husband-Wife Team Scores in Fashion: She, a Model, is Sounding Board; He Designs|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16152441/courierpost/|accessdate=31 December 2017|publisher=The Courier-Post|date=8 August 1967|location=Camden, New Jersey|page=13|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite ODNB|ref=harv|last1=Rolo|first1=P. J. V.|editor-last1=Loughlin-Chow|editor-first1=M. Clare|title=Harari [née Benenson], Manya|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-33688?rskey=2x1u2m&result=1|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/33688|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=23 September 2004|location=Oxford, England}}
• {{cite news|ref=harv|last1=Young|first1=Marian|title=Battle Rages at Openings of Designers|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16123668/the_missoulian/|accessdate=31 December 2017|agency=Newspaper Enterprise Association Service|publisher=The Missoulian|date=16 March 1941|location=Missoula, Montana|page=18|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Times|1926}}|author=|title=Benenson|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS17242781&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The Times|issue=44258|date=29 April 1926|location=London, England|page=1|id=Gale Document Number: CS17242781|subscription=yes|via=Gale Group}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Times|1939}}|author=|title=Benenson|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&docId=CS17249414&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The Times|issue=48273|date=6 April 1939|location=London, England|page=1|id=Gale Document Number: CS17249414|subscription=yes|via=Gale Group}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Enclyclopedia Our Baku|2011}}|author=|title=Бененсон Григорий Иосифович – предприниматель, купец 1-ой гильдии|url=https://www.ourbaku.com/index.php/%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%98%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87_-_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C,_%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%86_1-%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%B3%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B8|website=Наш Баку|publisher=Энциклопедию Баку и бакинцев (The Encyclopedia of Baku and People of Baku)|accessdate=31 December 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231173257/https://www.ourbaku.com/index.php/%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%98%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87_-_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C,_%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%86_1-%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%B3%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B8|archivedate=31 December 2017|location=Baku, Azerbaijan|language=Russian|date=3 April 2011|trans-title=Benenson, Grigory Iosifovich—businessman, 1st guild merchant|postscript=. Appears to be a self-published site, but with references cited to source materials.}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The New York Tribune|1919}}|author=|title=City Investing Building Sold to Englishman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16121343/democrat_and_chronicle/|accessdate=31 December 2017|publisher=The New York Tribune|date=19 December 1919|location=New York, New York|page=1|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Times|1984}}|author=|title=Mrs Flora Solomon|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS170102553&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The Times|issue=61919|date=25 August 1984|location=London, England|page=10|id=Gale Document Number: CS170102553|subscription=yes|via=Gale Group}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|New York Marriage Records|1931}}|author=|title=New York City Marriage Records|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24D3-ML5|accessdate=31 December 2017|website=FamilySearch|publisher=New York City Municipal Archives|date=19 March 1931|location=New York, New York|id=FHL microfilm 1684177}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|New York Passenger Lists|1921}}|author=|title=New York Passenger Arrival Lists|url=https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger-details/czoxMjoiMTA1MjY0MDQwMTUyIjs=/czo4OiJtYW5pZmVzdCI7|accessdate=31 December 2017|website=Liberty-Ellis|publisher=Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.|date=2 February 1921|location=New York, New York|id=images 897–898}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|New York Passenger Lists|1936}}|author=|title=New York Passenger Arrival Lists|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95F2-SF9?i=46&cc=1923888|accessdate=31 December 2017|website=FamilySearch|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration|date=19 May 1936|location=Washington, D.C.|id=NARA Series T715, Roll 5804}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Kansas City Times|1959}}|author=|title=Pat Nixon All Ready for Trip|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16123968/pat_nixon_all_ready_for_trip_ap_the/|accessdate=31 December 2017|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Kansas City Times|date=6 July 1959|location=Kansas City, Missouri|page=1|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Morning Call|1969}}|author=|title=Spadea Designer Pattern|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16152274/spadea_designer_pattern_the_morning/|accessdate=31 December 2017|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Morning Call|date=30 March 1969|location=Allentown, Pennsylvania|page=90|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Times|1911}}|author=|title=The Russian And English Bank|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS419888509&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|accessdate=30 December 2017|publisher=The Times|issue=39755|date=29 November 1911|location=London, England|page=25|id=Gale Document Number: CS419888509|subscription=yes|via=Gale Group}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Social Security Death Index|1977}}|author=|title=U. S. Social Security Death Index: Fira Ilinska|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JPWM-4MV|accessdate=30 December 2017|website=FamilySearch|publisher=Social Security Administration|date=October 1977|location=Washington, D. C.}}
• {{cite news|ref={{harvid|The Democrat and Chronicle|1957}}|author=|title=Who's Who in Fashion: Miss B's Ready-Mades Have Great Lady Look|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16121343/democrat_and_chronicle/|accessdate=31 December 2017|publisher=The Democrat and Chronicle|date=10 March 1957|location=Rochester, New York|page=74|via = Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}

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